AndrewGreen

Been involved with Okinawan styles for a long time, What you are doing does not fit there definition of "alive". If you like I can give you the addresses of some of the boards that are frequented by Matt Thorton and other SBGI coaches, you can tell them what you do, I'm sure they'd be grateful to hear about "alive" kata. Which based on what they mean by "alive" and what kata is, is a contradiction.

So you alone hold the secrets of making kata alive? No, kata is a pattern, whatever you are doing you are within that pattern. Even if you are attacking randomly within the pattern, you are still following a pattern. If you are not, it is not kata.

At 4-5 they should be able to get started, BUT it depends on what you train and how you train it

Hate to say it but, If you are still doing something called kata, and think it is "Alive" in the sense that Matt Thorton you have not only missed the bus, but still not found the bus stop...

Learn to sprawl is your best bet. Hips back, legs out, arms down between you. If they catch keep there head down, get your leg free. If your going back try to land a choke or pull guard and sweep.

You can find anything you look for in kata, how realistic what you can find depends on your understanding of what works and what doesn't. Of course just cause you can find it doesn't mean it was put there. but kata lacks resistance, timing and adaptability and is not a good way to train for fighting.

What ever one you are interested in learning. Different schools do different weapons in different orders, but there is no weapon that can't be learnt first.

I prefer the sai against a staff. Close in and tie it up. With tonfa I prefer holding them upside down against a staff, like a kama, and same idea, get inside the bo's range. Don't try to block a bo if you can avoid it, move in and tie it up.

I find it funny that he make reference to cult behaviour. Claiming everyone else is evil and in it for sex, power and to abuse others. Likely claiming some internal sort of power that can only be gained through his methods. Yes, cult mentioning is called for, but not where he does it.

That is not what he said, nor is it the subject of the thread.

Now would you say that holds for other sports as well? If you can beat your basketball coach quit the team. If your gymnastics coach can't do all the moves you can, leave. Seems a fairly ignorant view of things. How many top coaches play the game at the same level as there top athletes in any sport?

Everyone seems to be ignoring the possibility that he actually can beat his instructor. Instructors can be beat, if you can beat him, beat him. If his ego is so big that he can't deal with loosing in front of his students he shouldn't be teaching. He coached you, he could see your beating him as a sign that he has done his job well. The best thing an instructor can do is help others get to a higher level then they could.

I've seen many people mess up wrists on makiwara. My wrists are a mess from punching things bareknuckled. Wrsit wraps and 12 oz gloves at a minimum.

Depends, different bags, different uses the harder the bag the bigger the gloves you'll need though.

or how poor your laundry skills are Besides anyone that saw that American Ninja movie with the guy in the white ninja suit won't be stopped by that. Why not just not wear ANY uniform, train in shorts/track pants and a T-shirt.

Depends on who "they" are.

GO to a boxing gym, they will teach you the value of learning how to punch properly

DO NOT wear them and punch air, it is bad for your joints. If you do wear them do it slow, or hit something.

One of the main principles of JKD is "No kata" ... Of course a lot of JKD people do things that are essentially kata, but don't call them that

You'd get covered in grass stains

Holy inconsistancies Batman! Who said it was? You also seem to say that as if it is a bad thing... Umm.... No Kickboxers don't use kata, so what they do is really bad kickboxing? What about wrestlers, they just do really bad kickboxing. Or BJJ guys? MMA guys? You should tell them that they are doing really bad kickboxing, it will be news to them. I agree, go see a Muay Thai coach. Back to this for a second: So add kata to that really bad kickboxing and you get really bad kickboxing with kata right? Why not just learn good kickboxing? But they do kata... and dominate over other karate styles in full contact competition that is what they train for, so.... Huh? Do you mean you beat them in point fighting? or do you fight them full contact?

So you would rather be one of the sheep? Black is much more practical.

Ohh, and I believe there are some video clips on royharris.com on how to develop an open guard.

Drill not getting passed. Just isolate that area, you get open guard, partner attempts to pass. When he does, restart. Use your legs, stay mobile, curl up in a ball.

Sport limits techniques (but then so do non-sport styles), how much depends on which "sport", but train against a fully resisting opponent, giving them a big advantage. Sport also has a competitive format. Some people just train for the sport, others use sport as a training method, but include things not a part of the competitive format. (multiple attackers, weapons, etc.)